Combination oil well hydrostatic cleanout bailer



Au'g. 25, 1953 A. l.. SIMMONS 2,649,917

I COMBINATION OIL- WELL HYDROSTATIC CLEANOUT BJILERk Filed May 5,1949 2 sheets-sheet 1 A 94 .d -9-/J 7 I 3 al jz/ E?? e5 y E6 96 fr 2'7"; 34 l 11 w 5 a@ f- A. L 'slMMoNs v v 2,649,917 f Aug. 25, 1953 COMBINATION- OIL WELL HYDRosTATIC cLEANouT BAILER `Filed May 3, 1949 {sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 25, 1953 COMBINATION OIL WELL HYDROSTATIC CLEAN OUT BAHJER Archie Leon Simmons, Kilgore, Tex., assignor to Sells-Simmons Hydrostatic Bailer Corporation, Gladewater, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application May 3, 1949, Serial No. 91,065

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to the general class of oil well cleaners and-apparatus of the mechanical bailer type and more specifically to an improved hydrostatic oil well bailer or cleanout tool, in the nature of a fluid pressure operated reciprocating sand pump, for use at the derrick and with the rigging mechanism of an oil well. The tool is especially1 adapted for breaking up and pulverizing solids, as shale resulting from cave-ins; and for extracting and removing from the hole the debris with sand and mud, and depositing the loads of material in a waiting receptacle.

The bailer is employed as a reciprocating impact tool for pulverizing solids at the bottom of a well, yand then, under hydrostatic pressure created Within the bailer by reciprocating movements, the pulverized, and other debris, is loaded within the bailer and there retained by fluid pressure, until the pressure is released to dispense or discharge the load from the bailer.

The rloailing tool includes a minimum number of parts that may with facility be manufactured at low cost of production, and the parts may be assembled with convenience, to insure a fluid pressure apparatus that is simple in construction and operation, and eflicient in the performance of its functions.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be described and more particularly set forth in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of a physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arranged in yaccord with one mode I have devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention. It will however be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying I drawings and mechanical structures within the scope of my claim without departing from .the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, with operating parts in elevation, showing an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a View of a sinker bar forming an extension for use with the plunger mechanismv of the tool.

Figure 3 and Figure 4 are enlarged views at the Vlower or chisel end of the tool.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, enlarged, at the top of the tool in Fig. 1; and Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional'view enlargedat the top of the tool in Fig. 1.

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Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional at line '1 -1 of Fig. l showing the chisel assembly.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view at line 8-8 of Fig. l showing the upper portion of the plunger assembly.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view at line 9-9 of Fig. 1 at the lower end of the plunger assembly.

Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view at line I0--I0 of Fig. l.

Figure 1l is a side view of the chisel on a reduced scale.

Figure 12 is a plan view of the receptacle or dump block into which a load is emptied from the bailer; and V Figure 13 is a view in side elevation of the dump block.

In Fig. 1 where the sectional view shows the overall length of the tool a cylindrical steel barrel l, at its upper end is provided with a joint collar or bushing 2 which is welded at 3, and the upper end of the collar is internally threaded to receive the lower end of the barrel head li. The barrel head and its reduced shing neck 5 are provided with anrinterior bearing bore that provides desired clearance for the solid cylindrical plunger stem 6 that is reciprocably mounted in the'bore and utilized to suspend the tool from the well rigging. In use the upper threaded end 1 of the plunger stem is screwed into a complementary swab socket that is attached at the lower end of a suitable or usual wire hoist line of the derrick and rigging, and to prevent access of debris or solid materials to the upper end of the tool an annular sectional guard or cluster of spring blades or resilient curved plates 8 are attached by screws 9 to the neck 5. When the plunger assembly is uplifted, the stem by frictional engagement spreads the cluster of spring blades as shown in Fig. 6, and when the plunger stem is depressed the cluster of spring `.guards snap around the hoist line or wire to close the upper end of the tool.

For pulverizing debris at the bottom of the hole preparatory to loading the pulverized material into the interior of the tool, a second joint collar or bushing 9 is telescoped within the lower end of the barrel and welded at I9, and the lower end of the joint collar is internally threaded to receive the upper end of a tubular shank il that is fashioned at its lower end into a transversely arranged forged steel bit or chisel l2 having a transversely arranged intake duct I3, and an upper shoulder l la.

The rigidly mounted tubular shank of the chisel is enclosed and surrounded by a loosely mounted exterior sleeve I4 having a supporting bearing at I5 on the exterior of the chisel or bit and located above the port or duct i3. The closure sleeve I4 is cut out to form two discharge ports I5, I6 for debris, and these ports are adapted to register with complementary outlet ports I`I, I'I of the tubular shank of the chisel for discharging the debris from the tool; and when in working condition thev closure sleeve and the chisel shank are located with the ports i6 and I'I in non-registering positions.

Passage of debris, outwardly through ports I'I of the tubular shank is prevented by means of a pair of inwardly opening and outwardly' closing flap valves I8 hinged at I9 within the tubular shank, so that both ports I5 and il may be closed to the exterior by a quarter turn oi sleeve I4, and ports Il' are closed when the bailer is descending to working position.

The barrel head 4 is provided with a plurality of radially extending inclined fluid ducts 2G which extend from the exterior cylindrical sur-v face of the head to the bearing bore of the head in which the plunger stem is positioned in order to equalize fluid pressure between the interior and exterior of the tool.

The lower face 2I of the barrel head forms a concave valve seat at the upper end of the barrel, and the seat is equipped with an annular gasket or ring 22 mounted in an annular groove in the face of the head. The pump or plunger assembly is suspended from the lower end of the plunger stem by means of a hemispherical plunger-head or valve 23 having an upper end socket in which the lower end of the stem is threaded, and this plunger head, which performs the functions of a valve to close the bore of the barrel head from the interior of the barrel, is equipped with a packing ring or gasket 24 for coaction with the valve seat 2 I.

As Shown the plunger head has an exterior diameter smaller than the interior diameter of the barrel I and the head is fashioned with an integral cylindrical bushing 25 having ports 26, which bushing terminates in a collar 2l.

Four by-pass release ducts 28 radiate outwardly and downwardly from the rounded face of the valve-head 23, and when the valve head is seated these release ducts at their upper ends open to the bore of the barrel head, while their lower ends terminate in exterior grooves 29 in the side of the valve head, rI'he lower ends or ports of these fluid-pressure release by-pass ducts may be closed by means of resilient blades or plates 39 that form flap valves secured by rivets as 3| within the grooves 29 of the valve head. As the tool is raised through the well fluid, which fluid is under a relatively high pressure, it will enter through ducts 26 and ilow about valve stem into the barrel head. However, plunger or valve head 23 may abut the lower face or valve seat 2I to thus seal the barrel head before it lls with fluid at well pressure. Passages 28 and ap valves 30 allow well uid to continue to enter the barrel head and is trapped by check valve 34. When the pressure within the barrel head is equal to well pressure, ap valves 3D close, the well fluids being trapped at well pressure within the barrel head. When stem 5 is moved downwardly after the tool is on the dump block, the trapped pressure will vent through port 20 and not downwardly through tube 32.

The plunger assembly includes a cylindrical I tact of the lower end of piston 3S with the antube 32, the upper end of which is rigidly mounted in the collar 2'I of the valve head 23, and the upper end of the tube is closed by an open-center bushing 33, mounted as by welding in the open end of the tube, to form a seat for a check ball-valve 34 that is confined within the cage portion 25 of the valve head 23.

For a pumping action of the reciprocating plunger assembly, the tube 32, below the valve head 23, is equipped with a series of vertically spaced floating pistons or suction devices loosely confined and resiliently spaced on the exterior of the tube within the barrel. The upper floating piston 38, the lowest floating piston 38, and the intermediate pistons 40, are each equipped with a horizontal annular groove 4|, and between adjoining pistons springs 42 are coiled about the tube; with the lowest piston retained on the tube by means of a lock nut 43 threaded on the tube above the valve 35.

For receiving a load discharged from the bailing tool, a suitable receptacle or dump block is illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, which consists of an open top cylindrical and angularly disposed body 44 of ample size to receive the chisel end of the tool, and this receptacle or dump block is mounted', by means of a base plate i5 and bolts in holes 46 of the base, upon the deck or platform of the derrick where it is readily accessible for depositing the tool after it has been lifted from the hole.

The cylindrical body or pipe 44 is cut away at one side, as at 41, to expose the slotted closuresleeve I4 of the chisel assembly, and a latch hook 45, hinged at 49 on the receptacle, is engaged with the wall of the slot I5 of the sleeve or closure, in order that the tool may be given a quarter turn thereby causing the outlet ports l5 and l? to register, for discharge of the load from the tool.

Under some conditions the length of the suspending portion of the plunger assembly may be extended by interposing and installing the sinker bar 50 shown in Fig. 2, which bar is provided with a threaded head 5I for coaction with the swab socket of the hoist line, and a threaded socket 52 for coaction with the end l or" the plunger stem.

With the chisel sleeve I4 in closed position the tool is lowered through the well while water ows through the intake port I3 into the interior of the barrel until the ball valve 34 is lifted and unseated. Then by means of the cable the plunger assembly is permitted to drop or fall through the barrel until it is arrested by connular shoulder Ila of the chisel shank II, and the tool is then ready for operation in pulverizing and automatically loading the debris within the barrel.

In use, when hard material such as cements are to be drilled, the tool may be deposited and then spudded, or picked up and dropped, until the materal or debris has been pulverized by the chisel or bit to a size that permits passage through the flap valve 35 tothe interior of the plunger tube. Upward movement of the pistons is permitted by the holes 2B, and the tool is reciprocated a number of times.

After the plunger assembly is raised or lifted through the barrel, the fluid above the top floating piston 38 is forced upwardly and out through the ports 20 with suflicient velocity to penetrate the fluid column exteriorly of the tool to thereby wash the formation of the well as the tool cleans out and lowers itself toward the total depth of the well. When the ball valve is seated and the oil or fluid is lifted up to and through the ports 20, there is created a vacuum above the ported end of the chisel or bit which causes the column of fluid to move upwardly and to impinge against the lowest piston to thereby compress the separated springs. This pushes the pistons together to form a barrier against slippage of fluid between the pistons.

As the debris under suction 11o-ws into the barrel beneath the upwardly compressed pistons, the ap valves I8 are closed upwardly against the discharge ports l1, and when the valve head 23 seats against the barrel head, the ap valve i8 will drop downwardly and the debris with solids, is retained in the barrel of the tool. The tool is reciprocated a suiiicient number of times to collect a load.

Furthermore, the tool can be used as a dumping bailer for depositing material such as plastic cement at the bottom of the hole or well, and for this purpose a sinker bar 50 is connected with the plunger assembly and suspended from the swab socket of the wire line. The spring opened flap valve 35 is used, and the ball valve 34 and discharge valve I8 are dispensed with, there being a frangible fiber disk 100 substituted or utilized to close the discharge port l?. The bailer is lowered into the well as far as the welded joint 3, and a wood clamp is placed on the barrel assembly to hold the tool above the well head.

Then, the pressure head 23 with the plunger assembly is removed from the tool and the bailer is filled with cement, after rwhich action the plunger assembly is restored within the barrel, and the tool is run to the bottom of the well. The load or weight of the plunger assembly causes the cement to be compressed with suflicient pressure to fracture the ber disk 100 and permit the plastic cement to be deposited on the bottom of the well. Then, by lifting the plunger assembly the weight of the fluid column in the plunger tube opens the flapper valve 35 to prevent the formation of a vacuum condition which would result in return of the discharged plastic cement to the tool. When the plunger assembly is lifted and the valve head 23 seats in the face 2| of the barrel head, the tool may be lifted to the surface and refilled for successive operations.

Thus, it will be seen that at times the apper valve and steel springs contiguous to the flapper valve 35 are removed so that when the tool is closed it can be run to the bottom of the Well whereby the ball member 34 will be lifted by the iiuid to permit the plunger assembly to fall through the tool and rest on the inside tool joint shoulder so that the tool can then be loaded. After the plunger assembly has been raised, the steel ball 34 seats on the seat 33 to force the oil or fluid through the plurality of holes 20. By raising the plunger assembly, the weight of the fluid column compresses the coil springs 42 to thereby cause the suction pistons to move closer together and eliminate slippage o-f fluid between the same.

In the present invention a pulsating effect is produced by reciprocating the tool a number of times so that debris and the like is sucked into 6 the bottom of the tool, the pistons being adapted to move toward and away from each other.

When the tool is moved up the springs between the pistons are compressed so that the springs move together and a vacuum is created in the bottom of the tool whereby debris from oil will be sucked into the tool. Then, when the tool is dropped down the debris will be trapped in the tool whereby it can be later discharged therefrom.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a baile-r for an oil well, a barrel, a collar mounted on the upper end of said barrel, a head having its lower end Iconnected to said collar and having its upper end of reduced diameter, a plunger stem reciprocably arranged in said head, a plurality of spring blades secured to the reduced diameter portion of said head for frictionally engaging said stem, a bushing secured to the lower end of said barrel, a tubular shank connected to said bushing and provided with a chisel on its lower end, said shank having a transversely arranged intake duct, a sleeve surrounding said shank and positioned above said intake duct, said sleeve being provided with a pair of discharge ports for movement into and out of registry with complementary outlet ports in said tubular shank, nap valves hingedly mounted within said tubular shank for selectively closing said ports, said head being provided with a plurality of radially disposed inclined fluid ducts, the lower face of said head having a valve seat, a pump suspended from the lower end of said stem and including a valve mounted for movement into and out Iof bridging relation with respect to Said valve seat, said valve being of less diameter than the interior of said barrel and provided with a cylindrical bushing terminating in a lower collar, a plurality Iof release ducts extending outwardly and downwardly from said valve and having their lower ends terminating in exterior grooves in the sides of the valve, resilient plates for closing the lower ends of said release ducts, a tube depending from said last named collar, a valve seat mounted on the upper end of said tube, a ball mounted on said valve seat and confined within said valve, a flap valve connected to the lower end of said tube, a plurality of vertically spaced iioat pistons mounted on said tube, and coil springs circumposed on said tube and interposed between said pistons.

ARCHIE LEON SIMMONS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,569,293 Miller Jan. 12, 1926 1,740,449 Blakeslee Dec. 24, 1929 1,773,137 Fuller et al Aug. 19, 1930 1,889,865 Miller Dec. 6, 1932 1,957,100 Diepenbrock May 1, 1934 2,087,590 Brazell July 20, 1937 2,223,602 Cox Dec. 3, 1940 2,454,945 Reynolds Nov. 30, 1948 2,510,114 Hummel June 6, 1950 

